…CCSP inks contracts to boost social crime prevention programmes in Berbice
Works to the tune of some $5M in several East Berbice, Region Six communities under the Rapid Impact Programme of the Ministry of Public Security are expected to commence soon.
The contracts for these projects were officially signed by Citizen Security Strengthening Programme (CSSP) Project Manager, Dr. Clement Henry and contractors in the communities of Canefield/Adelphi, East Canje and
Kilcoy/Chesney and Bushlot/Adventure (Kildonan) on the Corentyne.
The signing of the contracts represents the next phase in a partnership
between the International Development Bank (IDB) and the Government of
Guyana through the Ministry of Public Security (MoPS) under the
Citizen Security Strengthening Programme’s (CSSP) Rapid Impact Project.
It seeks to make communities safer, mainly through youth empowerment
by providing an environment where youths can enjoy recreation and
benefit from vocational training and educational programmes.
Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle at the Kildonan Multi-purpose Community Centre, Dr. Henry said based on the needs assessment conducted in several communities, it was found that a lack of ‘safe spaces’ for youths to engage meaningfully often result in many turning to a life of substance abuse or crime.
As a result, the MoPS came up with the Rapid Impact Project that seeks to provide areas where young people can be engaged in a sport or learn a trade that will benefit them and make their communities safer.
In the Bush Lot/Adventure District, works will be executed at the Kildonan Multi-purpose Community Centre to refurbish a kitchen to boost a catering/cooking class targeting young mothers, most of whom are single parents, as well as convert a concrete tarmac into a basketball court for the youths. Both projects are pegged at around $1.6M in total.
In September of this year, under the same project, a quantity of equipment and kitchen utensils were donated and with the kitchen now being refurbished, the women are poised reap the benefits of having their individual catering businesses setup by Christmas.
The existing concrete tarmac will be re-capped, fenced, equipped with lights, hoops will be installed and a quantity of basketballs will be handed over to the community. Over in Chesney/Kilcoy area, the community also received a quantity of sporting equipment in September and the contract signed on Tuesday will allow for construction of a multi-purpose hard court for the youths.
While in East Canje, contracts for several small projects such as the fencing of a playfield, installation of washroom facilities and the construction of a volleyball court will enhance the recreational facilities in the Canefield/Adelphi area.
All the contracts in the various communities have six weeks duration
and were awarded to contractors within the area.
Henry was keen to mention that moving forward, work will be done with groups to have more organised activities at the completed facilities. Among the things in store would be workshops and coaching sessions. So far, the three communities have benefitted from over $7M collectively under the Rapid Impact Programme. In September, this year, sporting equipment, kitchen appliances and stationary items were donated to the communities to the tune of US$10,000.
Meanwhile, Colin Moore, NDC chairman for the #28/Bushlot Adventure
district, expressed gratitude to the MoPS for heeding the call of the
youths in the community and providing solutions to their needs. Moore,
a youth leader in the community, said the enhancements to the facilities will certainly make a difference in the lives of the younger population.
